May our rogue species re-enter the choreography of creation, rather than disrupting Nature’s diverse equilibrium…

 

Caroline, segues from last week, again hosting Citizen naturalist Damon Tighe, on the unfolding die-off at Lake Merritt, Oakland, and the SF Bay… let’s keep this crisis on the altar of urgent pertinence.

 

Damon is a naturalist with a 20 year history observing the organisms, and fungi! of Lake Merritt.

Damon proffers: “Instagram follower made these visuals for talking points around what is happening.”

Damon Tighe on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/damontighe

 

iNaturalist profile (where Citizens can also up-load observations.) https://www.inaturalist.org/people/damontighe

 

Paper: Nutrient Status of San Francisco Bay and Its Management Implications – James E. Cloern & Tara S. Schraga & Erica Nejad & Charles Martin

Paper predicts this algae bloom based upon current levels of nutrients flowing in bay and its sort of a Miracle it hasn’t happened yet, but now we’ve likely passed the tipping point.

 

“If an aberrant nutrient leak isn’t discovered that kicked this bloom off it means ALL bay are cities / municipalities are going to have to come to the table and lower nutrients into the bay. This likely would be slow, painful, billions of dollars, and the chance of this summer event taking place again becomes high.

Let’s take the tragedy and turn it into a triumph by motivating the public for public agencies to work as fast as possible. The decisions need to be fast bc the engineering is not trivial…” -Tighe